


Lab "Accident"

by orphan_account



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Chemical Explosion, M/M, Meet-Cute, Parkner Secret Santa 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:35:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21929080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: If a meet-cute doesn't involve some sort of explosion, is it really a meet-cute?
Relationships: Harley Keener/Peter Parker
Comments: 3
Kudos: 157





	Lab "Accident"

**Author's Note:**

> For: ruthmeghan

Peter looked around, trying to figure out which way he was supposed to go. It was his first day as a “stark intern”, a cover job so that people wouldn’t ask too many questions about why he spent so much time around stark tower. Mr. Stark was busy with the once-in-a-blue-moon meeting he was forced to attend, so he was on his own for now.

‘ _This place is huge, they should have a directory or something._ ’ Peter thought to himself, wondering if maybe he should ask for a map to carry around. He was about to walk in a random direction and hope for the best when a sharply dressed girl approached him.

__

__“Hi, are you Peter Parker? The new intern I’m suppose to show around?” She asked, Peter nodded in confirmation and took a look at her. She was maybe an inch shorter than him, even in heels. She had long blonde hair that curled a bit at the ends, and green eyes. _Emily_ , the name tag on her lanyard read. She looked young, though not as young as him, she was probably in college. “Great!” She smiled at him, “if you’ll just follow me, I’ll give you the tour. Feel free to ask any questions, I’ll try my best to answer.” She said, and began walking in the direction she came._ _

__

__“Okay, thank you, Ms. Emily.” Peter smiles and follows after her. They, and two others who otherwise didn’t acknowledge them, filed into an elevator._ _

__

__She laughs and turns to look back at him, “Peter, come on, I’m not much older than you. Just call me Emily.” The two of them got off last, going to a higher floor than the other occupants of the elevator._ _

__

__“Now, first we have…” she looks to him, but trails off, her eyes following something behind him. He distantly heard the sound of rocket thrusters and turned around, seeing an iron man suit flying towards them._ _

__

__“Mr. Stark--?” Peter asked, but the suit flew past him and landed in front of Emily._ _

__

__“Ms. Carter, I need your help with something in the east wing.” He started talking immediately, his voice sounding robotic by the muffle of the mask, which he didn’t take off._ _

__

__Emily looked confused, and a bit reluctant to leave. “Mr. Stark, you assigned me to give the tour to the new intern today.”_ _

__

__Mr. Stark didn’t even turn to look at him, “and now I’m assigning you to help me in the east wing. Keep up, I’ll send another intern to give him the tour.” He said, and began walking away._ _

__

__Emily looked towards Mr. Stark’s retreating figure, then back at Peter. She sighed, “Just stay here until another intern shows up, Peter. If not, I’ll catch you tomorrow and we can try this again.” She smiled, and walked off to follow Mr. Stark, who was already down the hall._ _

__

__“Uh-- yeah. Bye!” He shouted after her, and she turned to wave at him before continuing on. He watched as she turned the corner and slumped a bit when she disappeared from view. He turned to look down the other direction, waiting for another intern to come._ _

__

__“God, I thought she’d never leave.” A voice suddenly said, and Peter looked around, but saw no one. He heard creaking from the ceiling above, and looked up just in time to see someone jump down from the vent shaft, landing right next to him. It was a boy, looking about the same age as him in baggy jeans, a flannel and a hoodie. He had shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes. “Harley Keener. And you are..?” He asked, putting his hand out in front of him._ _

__

__“Uh, Peter. Peter Parker. Are you the intern that’s gonna show me around? Why were you in the vents?” Peter asked, and Harley just chuckled._ _

__

__“Easier to get around. No, that’s a lie actually. It’s a bitch to get up there. I had a friend who went up there all the time. It’s just fun, I guess.” He answered the second question, but not the first. “I probably should be the one to show you around, since I made your tour guide disappear. Follow me.” He said, and took off down the hall._ _

__

__“Wait--“ Peter followed after him, “that was you? I thought Mr. Stark--“ Harley interrupted him._ _

__

__“That was just one of his suits I controlled remotely. Emily’s like, the fourth one to fall for that. For a second, I was so sure she wouldn’t buy it, but whatever.”_ _

__

__“Why do you have access to Mr. Stark’s suits if you’re just an intern?” Peter asked, suspicious._ _

__

__“Dunno. So…” Harley started, and Peter turned to look at him, “what’s your story?”_ _

__

__“I’m sorry?” Peter asked, confused._ _

__

__“How’d you come to be an intern? I’m pretty sure all the spots were already taken this year, and the chances of a high schooler being accepted are slim to none.” Harley stopped in front of Peter and leaned down a bit, narrowing his eyes (albeit non-threateningly). “So, how’re you here?”_ _

__

__Peter stared at Harley, contemplating how he would answer, “ _slim to none?_ Then how do you explain you being here.” Peter challenged._ _

__

__“I’m a special case.” Harley answered._ _

__

__“Who’s to say I’m not?”_ _

__

__Harley stood up straight, then grinned. “Touché.” He spun around and continued walking forward, Peter jogged to catch up to him and walked side by side with him again. “Hey, wanna see one of the labs? You haven’t yet, right?”_ _

__

__“Haven’t seen much of anything yet, since you made my tour guide disappear.”_ _

__

__“Oh, right.” Harley grabbed his wrist and began dragging him to a room on the other end of the hall. He input a passcode on the door and went in, immediately heading for the shelf with tons of chemicals, leaving Peter by the door._ _

__

__He put goggles on and started loading chemicals on a chart and wheeled them over to a lab station. While he was doing so, a voice spoke up, coming from seemingly out of nowhere, “Harley, I’d advise against using the chemicals without Boss in the room. The last time you did so--”. Friday started, but was cut off._ _

__

__“Mute.” Harley set up a station and began mixing certain chemicals with each other. He turned to Peter, seeing him still by the door, “well? You gonna come in, or just stand there lookin’ pretty?” He smiled at Peter, and patted the stool next to him._ _

__

__Peter flushed red, and rushed to sit down, putting on a pair of goggles. For a while he watched Harley work, but began fidgeting when he noticed some of the chemicals Harley grabbed. A lot of them, if mixed together in any way, wouldn’t give positive results. He kept it to himself of course, knowing that since Harley’s been here longer than him he was probably more experienced in these things. Harley knew what he was doing._ _

__

__Or so Peter thought, but not a minute later his spidey sense went off loudly, right when Harley poured random chemical #1 into random chemical #2. He acted quickly, jumping out of his seat and tackling Harley to the ground just as the beaker exploded, sending shards of glass and potentially dangerous, colored foam everywhere._ _

__

__Harley landed on his back a few feet away with Peter lying on his torso, gripping Harley’s shirt. Peter looked up and saw Harley squeezing his eyes shut, groaning. Peter took off his goggles and reached over Harley to do the same._ _

__

__Peter was now leaning over Harley, one of his legs between Harley’s, his palms flat against the floor under Harley’s splayed out arms, “uh… Harley?” Peter asked, worried he might’ve used too much strength when getting him out of the way._ _

__

__Harley opened his eyes, looking at Peter as a grin spread across his face. He sat up a little, putting weight on his elbows, and started laughing. “That was awesome! Didn’t think it’d end up blowin’ up that fast, though.”_ _

__

__“Wh--” Peter started, looking very confused. “You purposely mixed the wrong chemicals? Just to cause an explosion? Why?! You could’ve gotten hurt!” Peter scolded._ _

__

__“But I didn’t.”_ _

__

__“But you could’ve been! If I hadn’t been here--”_ _

__

__Harley cut Peter off, “But you were here, and you saved me! _My hero._ ” Harley teased, leaning a bit more towards Peter’s face. It finally occurred to Peter just how close the two were, their noses nearly touching. Peter scrambled back, blushing, and sat on his knees and Harley’s leg that was between his. Harley sat up all the way, a smirk present on his face. “Who’s to say I didn’t do it on purpose just to get you to save--” He was cut off by Tony bursting through the lab’s door, looking frantic._ _

__

__“Harley! What have I told you about causing chemical explosions for the hell of it! We had to evacuate this wing _again_ and-- what are you two doing?” Tony said, staring at Peter, who was basically sitting in Harleys lap. Peter quickly stood up, looking embarrassed._ _

__

__“Sorry, Mr. Stark! We were just-- I was just-- I pushed him out of the way of the explosion.” Peter said, stumbling over his words._ _

__

__“Okay. You two aren’t allowed in a lab together without some kind of supervision. No, before you ask Harley, Friday does not count, especially since you put her on mute every time she says no. I’m taking that feature away from you, by the way. Also--” he walked up to the two of them and pushed them back in opposite directions. “New five feet apart rule. Don’t give me that look, Keener, I know how you are.” Harley rolled his eyes and Peter felt his face flush for the billionth time that day. Tony spun around and began walking out of the room. “Clean up the mess!” He shouted, before going out the door._ _

__

__They quickly put the chemicals back and cleaned the mess the explosion caused. Once they were done, Peter headed towards the door, but was stopped when a hand gripped his shoulder and held him in place. He turned, seeing Harley come up behind him and stop til they were facing each other. He had that same grin on his face._ _

__

__“We should totally do this again, it was fun. Same time tomorrow?” He asked, letting go of Peter’s shoulder._ _

__

__“Do what again? Blow up a lab and get banned?” Peter asked sarcastically._ _

__

__Harley chuckled, “we weren’t banned. We were just prohibited from being in labs alone together. I mean we should hang out again. I had fun, usually when I talk to the other interns they tell me to piss off cause they had work to do. You aren’t like the other interns.” He finished, smiling at Peter._ _

__

__“I suppose you say that to every new intern on their first day.” Peter replied, smirking a bit._ _

__

__“Hah! Guilty as charged. Anyways,” Harley walked towards the door, “I’ll come find you tomorrow. I’ll show you my personal lab! It’ll be cool, we can blow up whatever the hell we want in there! It’s a date.” He winked and exited the room, leaving Peter to contemplate what he just said._ _

__

__Peter hesitantly smiled, “that’d be a weird date,” he muttered to himself, walking out into the hall. He took a look around and groaned._ _

__

__“I still don’t know where anything is.”_ _

**Author's Note:**

> Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Pre-Infinity War
> 
> the timeline for this is lowkey fucked, but then again so is the endgame timeline. if they don't follow the rules, why should i?
> 
> if you spot a spelling/grammar/continuity error please tell me so i can fix it :)


End file.
